Overview

FA: Shay Har-Noy and Kostas Stamatiou July 2008

The climbing on LeConte’s Revenge follows discontinuous cracks and features and tops out on the summit of Polemonium. It starts up the U-Notch gully and ascends the final headwall leading to the proper summit. This is the first route on the West face of Polemonium.

Getting There

Approach the route via the South Lake Trailhead heading over Bishop Pass and then Thunderbolt Pass. Ascend the gully on the back of the U-Notch between N. Palisade and Polemonium as for the West Chute Route/Le Conte Route. From the gully, the spire-like summit of Polemonium will be obvious lying just to the right of the U-Notch separating it from N. Palisade.

Scramble up the slabs and belay at the base of two low angle splitter cracks (see photo).

Route Description

Pitch 1: Climb up the splitter cracks (5.6) which eventually lead to a small left facing dihedral. Step right and climb up a handcrack splitter (5.7 exposed). Belay at a big ledge with lots of blocks.

Pitch 2: Climb up and left on discontinuous cracks/broken terrain angling towards a right facing dihedral above you. Climb the dihedral and then proceed on the left side of LeConte’s Bird. Continue up broken terrain and belay on a ledge.

Pitch 3: Downclimb a bit and traverse left (a bit loose) towards a fun right facing dihedral (5.7). Gain a big blocky ledge and proceed up and right towards a sloping ledge on the ridge.

Pitch 4: Face climb up and left towards the dihedral then up to the big flake/dihedral. Belay on a ledge.

Pitch 5: Go up and left on broken terrain and then traverse left towards a gray slab with a crack on the right side of it. Belay on a ledge.

Pitch 6: Walk 15′ left and rappel down

Pitch 7: Climb up a left leaning ramp with a handcrack and follow the path of least resistance up and left. Belay on a ledge when the climbing becomes less than obvious.

Pitch 8: From the ledge go up and right on good face holds and then angle left over a roof. This takes you to the summit.